Supporting rack for live bait container



Aug. 16, 1955 G. A. MARTIN 2,715,293

SUPPORTING RACK FOR LIVE BAIT CONTAINER Filed July 6, 1951 v1 5/ i If? i3 2/7 .v 9 A3 233313 35 6Z3 fi/A 0 0: (2 /8 I o 'ol 'a /9 /6 Aj 27%. I22. i

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7!!! I I I In 7 /3 3o 6 26 x6 Z6 Ze 12 72 dZMZLrZin x5 United StatesPatent SUPPORTING RACK FOR LIVE BAIT CGNTAINER Glenn A. hiarfin, Deming,N. Mex.

Application July 6, 1951, Serial No. 235,509

2 Claims. (Cl. 4355) This invention relates to a novel construction ofsupporting rack for a live bait container such as a minnow bucket andhas for its primary object to provide a rack structure for attachment tothe side of a small boat whereby a live bait container or minnow bucketmay be supported in an inboard position while traveling to or fromfishing waters or while removing bait from the container without therisk of water leaking from the bait container into the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack including the trayportion to receive water draining from the bait container along whichthe water will be directed by gravity and discharged outwardly of a sideof the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack structure having anovel means for securing it detachably to a portion of the boat and withthe tray thereof inclined downwardly and outwardly relatively to a sideof the boat for drainage of water therefrom away from the interior ofthe boat.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rack structurewhich will support the minnow container stationary at all times ininboard position relatively to the boat, while the container issupported by the rack structure.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a rack structurewhich can be quickly and easily attached to or detached from a boat andadjusted to accommodate it to the boat portions of diiferent contours.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention "ill hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the invention in an applied positionand partly broken away to illustrate details thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially along aplane as indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure l,and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale,taken substantially along a plane as indicated by'the line 33 of Figure2.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the rack structure in itsentirety constituting the invention is designated generally 5 andincludes an elongated tray 6 having upstanding side walls 7 and anupstanding inner end wall 8. The tray 6 at its opposite, open end isprovided with an outwardly and downwardly inclined hp 9 which extendsfrom side to side thereof and which projects beyond the ends of the sidewalls 7 which are located at the open end of the tray 6. A pair ofreinforcing strips 10 is secured in any suitable manner as by means ofthe fastenings 11 to the underside of the tray 6 and longitudinallythereof and in spaced substantially parallel relationship to oneanother. The tray 6 is provided with a relatively large opening 12having an annular upstanding surrounding flange 13. The opening 12 isspaced Q a. from the sides and ends of the tray 6 and is disposedbetween portions of the strips 10.

The strips 10 are provided with complementary downturned ends 14 whichare located beneath the inner end or edge of the lip 9 and each of whichis provided on its inner side with a cushioning pad 15, preferabiyformed of rubber. The downturned strip ends 14 form stationary clampingjaws which are adapted to engage against the outer side of the gunwale16 of a small boat, such as a row boat 17, partially illustrated inFigures 1 and 2. A threaded bolt 18 is anchored in and extendsdownwardly from each strip 19 adjacent to but spaced from its jaw 14 andeach strip iii carries an adjustable clamping jaw, designated generally19, comprising an elongated strip having a substantially straight endportion 20 which is disposed against the underside of one of the strips10 and which is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 21 throughwhich a bolt 18 loosely extends. The other leg or end 22 of the clampingjaw 19, which is disposed adjacent the jaw 14, extends downwardly fromthe strip 1% and is disposed substantially perpendicular thereto. A nut23 engages the bolt 15; and bears against the underside of the jawportion 2%; to support it on the strip 10. By loosening the nut 23 thejaw 19 may be moved toward or away from the jaw 14 to position itsdepending portion 22 tightly against the inner side of the gunwale '16for clamping the gunwale between the stationary jaw 14 and movable jawportion 22. The nut 23 is then tightened for clamping the jaw portionsto the gunwale. The two pairs of jaws 14, 19 are each thus applied inthe same manner to eflfectively secure the rack structure 5 detachablyto the gunwale 16 and with the tray 6 disposed in an inboard positionexcept for its lip 9 which extends downwardly and outwardly from theouter side of the gunwale 16.

The rack structure 5 also includes a bucket supporting plate 24 which isdisposed beneath the opening 12 and substantially parallel to the tray 6and which has oppositely disposed upstanding arms 25 which are securedat their upper ends to portions of the strips 10, in any suitable manneras by means of welding as indicated 26, and which provide hangers forsupporting the plate 24, as best illustrated in Figure 3.

A live bait containing unit, designated generally 27, includes a bucket28 of solid construction except for its open top having a bail 29adjacent its upper end which is swingably secured to the bucket 28 bymeans of apertured ears 34) which project outwardly from said bucket,near its upper end. An annular gasket 31 is disposed around the bucket23, near its upper end and below the ears and is clamped to the bucketby a split ring 32 the ends of which are defined by outturned aperturedears 33 which are connected by a nut and bolt fastening 34 which may bedrawn up to tighten the ring 32 around the gasket 31 to thereby securelyclamp the parts 31 and 32 around the bucket 23. The split ring 32 isprovided with a downwardly and outwardly flared bottom edge portionforming an apron 35 The bucket 28 is sized for insertion downwardlythrough the opening 12 and the parts 31 and 32 are secured thereto, asillustrated in Figure 2, so that when the bottom of the bucket 28 isresting upon the plate 24, the ring and gasket 32 and 31, respectively,will be resting upon the upper edge of the flange 13 and the apron 35will extend downwardly and outwardly from said upper edge of the flange13.

The other or inner section of the live bait containing unit 27 includesa container or receptacle 36 which is sized to fit loosely within thebucket 23 and which is preferably provided with a cylindrical side wallhaving a plurality of perforations 37 formed in the lower portion of thereceptacle 36 and which extend from adjacent the bottom thereof upwardlyto a point spaced from the top of said recetpacle. The upper or open endof the receptacle 36 is provided with a closure 38, and said receptacle,near its upper end, is provided with the studs 39 which projectoutwardly therefrom and which are preferably disposed in diametricalalignment. The receptacle 36 is provided with a bail 40 which isswingably mounted on the studs 39. The studs 39 are of sufficient lengthto rest upon the upper edge of the bucket 28 for vsupporting thereceptacle 36 within said bucket as illustrated in Figure 2.

A brace, designated generally 41, includes a relatively longsubstantially rigid leg portion 42 having a short right angularlydisposed terminal 43 at one end thereof to the outer side of which issecured a pad 44, as by means of a fastening 45. Par 44 may be formed ofany suitable material such as rubber. the leg 42 is provided with anextension 46 which is disposed at an oblique angle thereto and which isprovided with a longitudinally disposed slot 47 through which a bolt 48loosely extends. The bolt 48 is secured to and depends from the plate 24and is engaged by a nut 49 which bears against the underside of theextension 46 for clamping the extension between the plate and nut. Thenut 49 may be loosened for displacing the leg 42 either to the right orleft as viewed in Figure 2 and for clamping the leg in differentadjusted positions so that the pad 44 will bear against a portion of thehull of the boat 17. Thus, the brace 41 will bear a major portion of theweight of the rack structure and live bait containing unit 27 and isadapted to be adjusted to support the tray 6 slightly inclined outwardlyand downwardlywith respect to the gunwale 16, as illustrated in Figure2.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the rack structure 5may be mounted in a row boat or other form of a small boat 17 asillustrated in the drawing and as previously described, and the bucket28 may then be positioned, as illustrated in Figure 2. The live baitcontaining receptacle 36 is supported in the bucket 28 while the boat 17is moving to and from fishing waters, and while the boat is anchored thereceptacle 36 may be disposed in the water and suitably tied to the boatin a conventional manner. It will be readily apparent that thereceptacle 36 containing live bait such as minnows, not shown, will bepartially filled with water so that as it is moved from an outboardposition with respect to the boat 17 to its position as illustrated inthe drawing, a portion of the water will drain therefrom through theperforations 37 and to prevent this water from draining into the boat17, the receptacle 36 is moved inboard of the boat over the tray 6 sothat water draining therefrom will be caught on the tray and will drainoutwardly thereof over the lip 9. After the receptacle 36 is placed inthe bucket 28 an additional amount of water will drain therefrom intothe bucket 28 and if desired the bucket 28 may be partially filled withwater before being applied to the rack structure 5 to maintain a desiredamount of water in the receptacle 36 while it is supported by the bucket28. Additionally, the receptacle 36 may be con iently placed in itsposition as illustrated in the drawng while bait is being removedtherefrom to avoid any possibility of losing bait from the receptacle,after which the receptacle 36 can again be placed in the waterexternally of the boat and is likewise moved longitudinally over thetray 6 so that any water draining from the receptacle 36 will fall ontothe tray 6 and will be discharged outwardly of the gunwale 16. The aprontogether with the gasket 31 will efiectively prevent any water from thereceptacle 36 escaping through the opening 12 The opposite end of whilethe bucket 28 is in its position of Figure 2 so that the bait receptacle36 may be moved to and from a position within the boat 17 without anywater leaking therefrom into the boat and may be retained in an inboardposition and partially filled with water.

While the rack structure 5 is preferably formed of metal, it will bereadily apparent that it may be formed of other suitable materials.

Various modifications and changes as contemplated may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rack structure of the character described comprising an elongatedtray, adjustable clamping means mounted beneath and forming a part ofsaid tray for detachably clamping the tray to a gunwale of a boat andsupporting the tray in an inboard position relatively to the boat, saidtray having a downwardly inclined lip at one end thereof extendingoutwardly and downwardly from said clamping meansand disposed outwardlyof the gunwale engaged thereby, said tray having an opening disposedbetween its opposite end and said adjustable clamping means, saidtraybeing inclined longitudinally from its last mentioned end downwardlytowards said lip, a bucket extending through the tray opening having anopen upper end disposed above the tray, means demountably supporting thebucket in said tray opening, and a live bait container loosely fittingin said bucket. and having a perforated bottom portion, aligned bailmounting studs extending outwardly from the bait container adjacent theupper end thereof and resting on the rim of the bucket for removablysupporting the bait container therein.

2. A rack structure as in claim 1, in which said bucket supporting meansincludes hangers secured to and depending from the underside of thetray, a plate secured to and supported by said hangers beneath the trayopening and forming a support engaged by the bucket bottom, and a bracesecured to' said plate and extending downwardly therefrom at an anglerelative to the plane of the tray, said brace having a lower enddisposed beneath a part of the tray located adjacent said clamping meansand bearing against a portion of the boat hull and cooperating with saidclamping means for supporting the tray, bucket and bait container, andmeans adjustably mounting said brace on said plate for adjustment of thebrace in directions longitudinally of the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS363,956 Havanagh May 31, 1887 365,425 Barclay June 28 1887' 755,994Broome Mar. 29, 1904 793,825 Curry et a1. July 4, 1905 888,294 AflleckMay 19, 1908 928,033 Drouilly July 13, 1909 1,053,103 Martus Feb. 11,1913 1,287,894 Cox Dec. 17, 1918 1,405,881 Wallace Feb. 7, 19221,628,746 Russel May 17, 1927 2,051,241 Biggers Aug. 18, 1936 2,272,561Hubbell Feb. 10, 1942 2,272,569 Luhmann Feb. 10, 1942 2,487,645 GershonNov. 8, 1949 2,564,513 Terwilliger Aug. '14, 1951

